Upcoming Childbirth and Parenting Classes & Groups

	November 2023
Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
		1 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group November 1, 2023 11:00 am - 1:00 pm 3074 Whitney Ave 1st Floor, Suit 211 Hamden, CT 06410 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Format: In-person Price: FREE Day & Time: Wednesday, 11:00am to 1:00pm Note: hosted by New Life Doulas Open to the public, community and support for new families. See more details Childbirth, Four-Week Course (Week 2) Childbirth, Four-Week Course (Week 2) November 1, 2023 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm Empowered Beginnings CT: Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Wellness Consultants, 3074 Whitney Ave Building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA Childbirth, 4-Week Course CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Format: In-person Price: $250 per couple Day & Time: Wednesdays at 6:30pm to 9:00pm Note: We suggest you sign up for a course that will start sometime after your 26th week and ends before your 37th week of pregnancy. This in-person series is great for first-time parents and comes highly recommended by many local midwives and obstetricians for its empowering approach to childbirth. Our goal is to help each family become wise healthcare consumers and to partner with their OB providers for a safe birth using as few interventions as possible. Although the class strives to educate patients and their partners toward natural childbirth (i.e., unmedicated, intervention-free), classes are for prepared childbirth in the hospital, birth center, or home setting. The classes use a multidisciplinary approach, pulling information from resources such as Dr. Robert Bradley (of the Bradley method), the Lamaze Institute for Normal Birth, educator/doula Penny Simkin, and midwife Ina May Gaskin. Topics Reviewed Physiology and changes in pregnancy Normal progression of labor and birth Relaxation and breathing techniques Coping methods for labor and birth such as hydrotherapy, music, mental focus, and comforting positions Analgesia and anesthesia options such as nitrous oxide and epidurals Benefits and risks of medical interventions The partner's role during labor and birth Postpartum care Newborn care at the hospital See more details • •	2	3 Postpartum Support Group for Doula Clients Postpartum Support Group for Doula Clients November 3, 2023 11:00 am - 1:00 pm 3074 Whitney Ave 1st Floor, Suit 211 Hamden, CT 06410 Postpartum Support Group This is a closed group for clients of EB Doulas or Begin with Ashley only. Format: In-person Day & Time: Fridays, 11:00am to 1:00pm What to expect: Connect with other new parents in this group facilitated by Ashley & Dawn. You must be a doula client to join this group. See more details •	4 Comprehensive Breastfeeding Comprehensive Breastfeeding November 4, 2023 9:30 am - 11:30 am 3074 Whitney Ave building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Comprehensive Breastfeeding Class Day & Time: Saturday, 9:30am - 11:30am Format: In-person Price: $80 per couple What to expect: This is an in-person, single-session course that covers all the essentials for breastfeeding. Class includes hands-on activities with infant models to get a better feel for positioning as well as the opportunity to examine the equipment and supplies that will help you along the way. Partners are highly encouraged to attend! Topics Include: Benefits of breastfeeding Getting a good latch Positioning techniques including hands-on practice with infant models Establishing and maintaining your milk supply Troubleshooting Debunking myths and outdated advice Pumping tips and tricks including demonstrations of how the equipment is used How partners can help See more details •	5 Reiki Level 2 Class, Day 2 Reiki Level 2 Class, Day 2 November 5, 2023 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Empowered Beginnings CT: Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Wellness Consultants, 3074 Whitney Ave Building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA To register: https://www.ailishlewis.com/bookonline Please note you must have completed a Reiki 1 training prior to registering for this course. Reiki level 2 class for doulas, midwives, nurses, and all other birth workers looking to advance their Reiki skills to benefit themselves and their clients with the gift of relaxation and relief! What to expect: Reiki for self-care and protection Reiki for emotional healing Distance healing methods Level 2 attunement 2 new Reiki symbols New techniques for channeling Reiki Birth work applications Perinatal case studies Hands-on practice Insight into business manifestation and so much more! Brought to you by Mindful Mama CT, LLC and Birthing Bravely, LLC. See more details •
6 Q&A with Ashley Q&A with Ashley November 6, 2023 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Q&A with Ashley & Dawn Registration not required. This is a closed group for Ashley & Dawn's doula clients only. Format: Online Price: Free Day & Time: Mondays, 7:00pm to 8:00pm Note: You must be a client of Begin With Ashley to participate in this group. The zoom link will be posted in our private Facebook group. Please join with questions or just to chat with other new families. There is no agenda for this it’s just an opportunity to connect and come together for support during your pregnancy. See more details •	7 Music Together Mixed Age Class (0-5 years old) Music Together Mixed Age Class (0-5 years old) November 7, 2023 9:30 am - 10:30 am Empowered Beginnings CT: Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Wellness Consultants, 3074 Whitney Ave Building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA Session: Tuesdays at 9:30am, September 12th through November 7th Mixed age class for newborns to 5-year-olds. Register here: https://www.musicalfolk.com/mixedages.html Fun. Fabulous. Uplifting. Magical. These are just a few of the ways that parents describe our Music Together. Each week, babies, toddlers, preschoolers, big kids, and the grownups who love them gather in classrooms around the world to make beautiful Music Together as a community. Offered at more than 3,000 locations and 40 countries, our early childhood music classes give families with children a chance to get in touch with their inner musician and connect with other families. Wiggling, singing, and laughing with your child is so much fun—it’s easy to forget how much learning is taking place! Our research-based curriculum not only develops music skills, it nurtures creativity, self-expression, and confidence while also supporting social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development as well as singing together as a community. We'll have tons of fun singing, dancing, learning and playing instruments in our classes. Your family will learn 25 new songs and be immersed in music, learning, and fun each semester. We have a different collection of music (9 collections in total). See more details Music Together Baby & Parent Class (0-8 months old) Music Together Baby & Parent Class (0-8 months old) November 7, 2023 10:30 am - 11:30 am Empowered Beginnings CT: Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Wellness Consultants, 3074 Whitney Ave Building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA Session: Tuesdays at 10:30am, September 12th through November 7th This class is for caregivers and babies up to 8 months old. Register here: https://www.musicalfolk.com/BabiesClass.html Fun. Fabulous. Uplifting. Magical. These are just a few of the ways that parents describe our Music Together. Each week, babies, toddlers, preschoolers, big kids, and the grownups who love them gather in classrooms around the world to make beautiful Music Together as a community. Offered at more than 3,000 locations and 40 countries, our early childhood music classes give families with children a chance to get in touch with their inner musician and connect with other families. Wiggling, singing, and laughing with your child is so much fun—it’s easy to forget how much learning is taking place! Our research-based curriculum not only develops music skills, it nurtures creativity, self-expression, and confidence while also supporting social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development as well as singing together as a community. We'll have tons of fun singing, dancing, learning and playing instruments in our classes. Your family will learn 25 new songs and be immersed in music, learning, and fun each semester. We have a different collection of music (9 collections in total). See more details (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group (online) (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group (online) November 7, 2023 11:00 am - 12:30 pm https://zoom.us/j/124179840 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group No Registration Needed. This group is open to anyone. Format: Online; Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/124179840 Price: FREE Day & Time: Tuesdays, 11:00am to 12:30pm Hosted by: Louise Ward, RN (retired Childbirth Educator and Yale Labor and Birth nurse) Description: What is the 4th trimester? This concept refers to the first few months after you deliver, a period of intense development and adjustment to life outside the womb for your newborn. He or she was kept snuggled in a warm, dark environment where hunger and wet diapers were not a problem. Now there are lots of new senses to get used to! At the same time, you are recovering from giving birth and adapting physically, emotionally, and mentally to parenthood and all its challenges. This huge change for both of you can be rough and overwhelming at times, even more so than the pregnancy itself. One of the best things for getting through this time with your sanity intact is finding support and encouragement from others, especially if they are going through the same thing as you. This group will give you the opportunity to tell your birth story, discuss challenges, successes, share stories, and to meet other new moms in the area. See more details Spinning Babies Spinning Babies November 7, 2023 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm 3074 Whitney Ave 1st Floor, Suit 211 Hamden, CT 06410 CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Format: In-person Price: $130 per couple Day & Time: Tuesdays from 6:30pm to 8:30pm Spinning Babies® for Parents is a single session class that highlights your baby’s active role in birth. During labor the baby needs to pass through the three levels of the pelvis. Learn techniques to help your pelvis and the muscles that support or restrict your pelvic levels. These techniques can help release tight ligaments and muscles which can pull and twist causing pelvic pain during pregnancy and discomfort during birth. Together, you and your birth partner can use these techniques before and during labor to help “make room for baby!” Spinning Babies reveals how the baby can find optimal positions for labor, and make birth less painful, and even enjoyable! Topics Reviewed Learn about Spinning Babies Techniques Belly mapping to tell the position of your baby Daily Essential Activities The Three Sisters of Balance and how they help birth muscles to relax and add comfort now to ease birth later. Birth positions that open the pelvis that let the baby come through more easily Bring your birth partner to learn how to help you in pregnancy for comfort in labor and birth What to Bring Bring along a yoga mat, towel, or small blanket for floor work. Dress comfortably in clothing that can accommodate a variety of positions. See more details • • • •	8 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group November 8, 2023 11:00 am - 1:00 pm 3074 Whitney Ave 1st Floor, Suit 211 Hamden, CT 06410 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Format: In-person Price: FREE Day & Time: Wednesday, 11:00am to 1:00pm Note: hosted by New Life Doulas Open to the public, community and support for new families. See more details Childbirth, Four-Week Course (Week 3) Childbirth, Four-Week Course (Week 3) November 8, 2023 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm Empowered Beginnings CT: Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Wellness Consultants, 3074 Whitney Ave Building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA Childbirth, 4-Week Course CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Format: In-person Price: $250 per couple Day & Time: Wednesdays at 6:30pm to 9:00pm Note: We suggest you sign up for a course that will start sometime after your 26th week and ends before your 37th week of pregnancy. This in-person series is great for first-time parents and comes highly recommended by many local midwives and obstetricians for its empowering approach to childbirth. Our goal is to help each family become wise healthcare consumers and to partner with their OB providers for a safe birth using as few interventions as possible. Although the class strives to educate patients and their partners toward natural childbirth (i.e., unmedicated, intervention-free), classes are for prepared childbirth in the hospital, birth center, or home setting. The classes use a multidisciplinary approach, pulling information from resources such as Dr. Robert Bradley (of the Bradley method), the Lamaze Institute for Normal Birth, educator/doula Penny Simkin, and midwife Ina May Gaskin. Topics Reviewed Physiology and changes in pregnancy Normal progression of labor and birth Relaxation and breathing techniques Coping methods for labor and birth such as hydrotherapy, music, mental focus, and comforting positions Analgesia and anesthesia options such as nitrous oxide and epidurals Benefits and risks of medical interventions The partner's role during labor and birth Postpartum care Newborn care at the hospital See more details • •	9 Advanced Coping Strategies for Labor Advanced Coping Strategies for Labor November 9, 2023 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Empowered Beginnings CT: Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Wellness Consultants, 3074 Whitney Ave Building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA Advance Coping Strategies for Labor CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Format: In-person Price: $100 per couple Day & Time: Thursdays from 6:30pm to 8:30pm This single session is intended for couples in their third trimester who have completed the 1-day, 2-day, or 4-week childbirth classes. It expands on intervention-free methods of labor management discussed in our prepared childbirth classes. Each couple will receive their own long woven wrap (similar to the Rebozo used by Mexican and Central American Indigenous birth workers) to practice hands-on comfort techniques and coping skills to ease pregnancy discomforts, manage pain during labor, and help bring the baby down into an optimal position for birth. Your partner or support person will learn skills to support you more effectively. This class does not cover general childbirth information. We strongly suggest taking one of our childbirth preparation classes (or one with another educator) prior to this class. Note: This class is best when you are further along in your pregnancy, ideally between 32 and 38 weeks, and after you have completed a regular Childbirth course. What to bring: Bring along a yoga mat, towel, or small blanket for floor work. Dress comfortably in clothing that can accommodate a variety of positions. See more details •	10 Postpartum Support Group for Doula Clients Postpartum Support Group for Doula Clients November 10, 2023 11:00 am - 1:00 pm 3074 Whitney Ave 1st Floor, Suit 211 Hamden, CT 06410 Postpartum Support Group This is a closed group for clients of EB Doulas or Begin with Ashley only. Format: In-person Day & Time: Fridays, 11:00am to 1:00pm What to expect: Connect with other new parents in this group facilitated by Ashley & Dawn. You must be a doula client to join this group. See more details •	11 Childbirth, One-Day Class Childbirth, One-Day Class November 11, 2023 9:00 am - 1:00 pm 3074 Whitney Ave 1st Floor, Suit 211 Hamden, CT 06410 Childbirth, 1-Day Class CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Format: In-person Price: $120 per couple Day & Time: Thursdays at 5:00pm or Saturdays at 9:00am Note: We recommend taking this class anytime after your 26th week and before your 37th week of pregnancy. This one-day class focuses on labor and delivery. It is a good option for first-time parents unable to attend the 4-week series and is an excellent refresher course for parents returning to the birth experience or those who will be attempting a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). Compared to the 4-week series, this class involves more direct, instructor-led teaching with fewer group exercises in order to conserve time. Topics Reviewed: Physiology and progression of labor and birth Relaxation and breathing techniques Coping methods for labor and birth such as hydrotherapy, music, mental focus, and comforting positions Analgesia and anesthesia options such as nitrous oxide and epidurals Benefits and risks of medical interventions The partner's role during labor and birth See more details •	12 Prenatal Movement Class Prenatal Movement Class November 12, 2023 10:00 am - 11:00 am Empowered Beginnings CT: Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Wellness Consultants, 3074 Whitney Ave Building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA REGISTER HERE Prenatal Movement Series This one hour prenatal movement class includes dancing, strengthening and stretching movement in a safe and effective design for pregnancy. Join other parents to increase community, strength and confidence in preparation for birth. When 9 week series: Sundays, October 15 - December 17 @ 10 AM *no class on November 5th Cost $150 for the nine-week series $20 for individual drop in sessions Instructor Michelle Chirby, MAS, IBCLC, CPD REGISTER HERE Contact machirby@gmail.com or (510) 519-4809 with any questions About Michelle Chirby Michelle Chirby is a certified dance fitness, barre, and Dancing for Birth™ instructor. She has led choreography for a modern dance company and has instructed dancers of all ages at camps, dance studios and fitness centers. Her love for dancing and learning new styles has followed her around the world – to perform with a Contemporary K-Pop team in Australia, embrace West African dance while in the Peace Corps, ShimmyPop™ with the Hipline community in California, and pursue her Modern Barre™ and Dancing for Birth™ certifications in New England. She believes in the power of movement for mental, emotional, and spiritual health and loves to help people tap into this body-soul connection on the dance floor. Michelle’s deep respect for the body and its amazing capabilities is furthered through her work as a Maternal and Child Nutritionist, with a focus on clinical lactation, and as a certified birth doula. Learn more about her services here. See more details •
13 Q&A with Ashley Q&A with Ashley November 13, 2023 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Q&A with Ashley & Dawn Registration not required. This is a closed group for Ashley & Dawn's doula clients only. Format: Online Price: Free Day & Time: Mondays, 7:00pm to 8:00pm Note: You must be a client of Begin With Ashley to participate in this group. The zoom link will be posted in our private Facebook group. Please join with questions or just to chat with other new families. There is no agenda for this it’s just an opportunity to connect and come together for support during your pregnancy. See more details •	14 Music Together Mixed Age Class (0-5 years old) Music Together Mixed Age Class (0-5 years old) November 14, 2023 9:30 am - 10:30 am Empowered Beginnings CT: Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Wellness Consultants, 3074 Whitney Ave Building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA Session: Tuesdays at 9:30am, September 12th through November 7th Mixed age class for newborns to 5-year-olds. Register here: https://www.musicalfolk.com/mixedages.html Fun. Fabulous. Uplifting. Magical. These are just a few of the ways that parents describe our Music Together. Each week, babies, toddlers, preschoolers, big kids, and the grownups who love them gather in classrooms around the world to make beautiful Music Together as a community. Offered at more than 3,000 locations and 40 countries, our early childhood music classes give families with children a chance to get in touch with their inner musician and connect with other families. Wiggling, singing, and laughing with your child is so much fun—it’s easy to forget how much learning is taking place! Our research-based curriculum not only develops music skills, it nurtures creativity, self-expression, and confidence while also supporting social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development as well as singing together as a community. We'll have tons of fun singing, dancing, learning and playing instruments in our classes. Your family will learn 25 new songs and be immersed in music, learning, and fun each semester. We have a different collection of music (9 collections in total). See more details Music Together Baby & Parent Class (0-8 months old) Music Together Baby & Parent Class (0-8 months old) November 14, 2023 10:30 am - 11:30 am Empowered Beginnings CT: Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Wellness Consultants, 3074 Whitney Ave Building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA Session: Tuesdays at 10:30am, September 12th through November 7th This class is for caregivers and babies up to 8 months old. Register here: https://www.musicalfolk.com/BabiesClass.html Fun. Fabulous. Uplifting. Magical. These are just a few of the ways that parents describe our Music Together. Each week, babies, toddlers, preschoolers, big kids, and the grownups who love them gather in classrooms around the world to make beautiful Music Together as a community. Offered at more than 3,000 locations and 40 countries, our early childhood music classes give families with children a chance to get in touch with their inner musician and connect with other families. Wiggling, singing, and laughing with your child is so much fun—it’s easy to forget how much learning is taking place! Our research-based curriculum not only develops music skills, it nurtures creativity, self-expression, and confidence while also supporting social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development as well as singing together as a community. We'll have tons of fun singing, dancing, learning and playing instruments in our classes. Your family will learn 25 new songs and be immersed in music, learning, and fun each semester. We have a different collection of music (9 collections in total). See more details (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group (online) (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group (online) November 14, 2023 11:00 am - 12:30 pm https://zoom.us/j/124179840 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group No Registration Needed. This group is open to anyone. Format: Online; Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/124179840 Price: FREE Day & Time: Tuesdays, 11:00am to 12:30pm Hosted by: Louise Ward, RN (retired Childbirth Educator and Yale Labor and Birth nurse) Description: What is the 4th trimester? This concept refers to the first few months after you deliver, a period of intense development and adjustment to life outside the womb for your newborn. He or she was kept snuggled in a warm, dark environment where hunger and wet diapers were not a problem. Now there are lots of new senses to get used to! At the same time, you are recovering from giving birth and adapting physically, emotionally, and mentally to parenthood and all its challenges. This huge change for both of you can be rough and overwhelming at times, even more so than the pregnancy itself. One of the best things for getting through this time with your sanity intact is finding support and encouragement from others, especially if they are going through the same thing as you. This group will give you the opportunity to tell your birth story, discuss challenges, successes, share stories, and to meet other new moms in the area. See more details • • •	15 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group November 15, 2023 11:00 am - 1:00 pm 3074 Whitney Ave 1st Floor, Suit 211 Hamden, CT 06410 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Format: In-person Price: FREE Day & Time: Wednesday, 11:00am to 1:00pm Note: hosted by New Life Doulas Open to the public, community and support for new families. See more details Childbirth, Four-Week Course (Week 4) Childbirth, Four-Week Course (Week 4) November 15, 2023 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm Empowered Beginnings CT: Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Wellness Consultants, 3074 Whitney Ave Building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA Childbirth, 4-Week Course CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Format: In-person Price: $250 per couple Day & Time: Wednesdays at 6:30pm to 9:00pm Note: We suggest you sign up for a course that will start sometime after your 26th week and ends before your 37th week of pregnancy. This in-person series is great for first-time parents and comes highly recommended by many local midwives and obstetricians for its empowering approach to childbirth. Our goal is to help each family become wise healthcare consumers and to partner with their OB providers for a safe birth using as few interventions as possible. Although the class strives to educate patients and their partners toward natural childbirth (i.e., unmedicated, intervention-free), classes are for prepared childbirth in the hospital, birth center, or home setting. The classes use a multidisciplinary approach, pulling information from resources such as Dr. Robert Bradley (of the Bradley method), the Lamaze Institute for Normal Birth, educator/doula Penny Simkin, and midwife Ina May Gaskin. Topics Reviewed Physiology and changes in pregnancy Normal progression of labor and birth Relaxation and breathing techniques Coping methods for labor and birth such as hydrotherapy, music, mental focus, and comforting positions Analgesia and anesthesia options such as nitrous oxide and epidurals Benefits and risks of medical interventions The partner's role during labor and birth Postpartum care Newborn care at the hospital See more details • •	16	17 Postpartum Support Group for Doula Clients Postpartum Support Group for Doula Clients November 17, 2023 11:00 am - 1:00 pm 3074 Whitney Ave 1st Floor, Suit 211 Hamden, CT 06410 Postpartum Support Group This is a closed group for clients of EB Doulas or Begin with Ashley only. Format: In-person Day & Time: Fridays, 11:00am to 1:00pm What to expect: Connect with other new parents in this group facilitated by Ashley & Dawn. You must be a doula client to join this group. See more details •	18 Infant CPR & Safety Class Infant CPR & Safety Class November 18, 2023 9:30 am - 11:00 am Empowered Beginnings CT: Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Wellness Consultants, 3074 Whitney Ave Building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA Infant CPR & Safety CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Format: In-person Price: $80 per couple Time & Day: Saturday from 9:30am to 11:30am Note: This class is for educational purposes only and is not for CPR certification. Keeping your new baby safe will be a top priority before he or she is even born. This one-session class reviews two important yet often overlooked topics - infant CPR and infant car seat safety. It can be taken before or after pregnancy, and is recommended for parents and any regular caregivers (grandparents, etc.). It is also appropriate for couples adopting a newborn baby. Bring your baby's car seat with you to have it professionally installed by our certified child passenger safety technician at the end of class! Topics: Recognizing an infant needing emergent intervention How to provide choking relief for an infant with an obstructed airway How to perform CPR on an infant Safe sleeping and protecting against SIDS Car safety Proper use of car seats and buckles One-on-one help with installing your baby's car seat See more details •	19 Prenatal Movement Class Prenatal Movement Class November 19, 2023 10:00 am - 11:00 am Empowered Beginnings CT: Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Wellness Consultants, 3074 Whitney Ave Building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA REGISTER HERE Prenatal Movement Series This one hour prenatal movement class includes dancing, strengthening and stretching movement in a safe and effective design for pregnancy. Join other parents to increase community, strength and confidence in preparation for birth. When 9 week series: Sundays, October 15 - December 17 @ 10 AM *no class on November 5th Cost $150 for the nine-week series $20 for individual drop in sessions Instructor Michelle Chirby, MAS, IBCLC, CPD REGISTER HERE Contact machirby@gmail.com or (510) 519-4809 with any questions About Michelle Chirby Michelle Chirby is a certified dance fitness, barre, and Dancing for Birth™ instructor. She has led choreography for a modern dance company and has instructed dancers of all ages at camps, dance studios and fitness centers. Her love for dancing and learning new styles has followed her around the world – to perform with a Contemporary K-Pop team in Australia, embrace West African dance while in the Peace Corps, ShimmyPop™ with the Hipline community in California, and pursue her Modern Barre™ and Dancing for Birth™ certifications in New England. She believes in the power of movement for mental, emotional, and spiritual health and loves to help people tap into this body-soul connection on the dance floor. Michelle’s deep respect for the body and its amazing capabilities is furthered through her work as a Maternal and Child Nutritionist, with a focus on clinical lactation, and as a certified birth doula. Learn more about her services here. See more details LGBTQIA Group LGBTQIA Group November 19, 2023 11:00 am - 2:00 pm See more details • •
20 Q&A with Ashley Q&A with Ashley November 20, 2023 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Q&A with Ashley & Dawn Registration not required. This is a closed group for Ashley & Dawn's doula clients only. Format: Online Price: Free Day & Time: Mondays, 7:00pm to 8:00pm Note: You must be a client of Begin With Ashley to participate in this group. The zoom link will be posted in our private Facebook group. Please join with questions or just to chat with other new families. There is no agenda for this it’s just an opportunity to connect and come together for support during your pregnancy. See more details •	21 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group (online) (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group (online) November 21, 2023 11:00 am - 12:30 pm https://zoom.us/j/124179840 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group No Registration Needed. This group is open to anyone. Format: Online; Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/124179840 Price: FREE Day & Time: Tuesdays, 11:00am to 12:30pm Hosted by: Louise Ward, RN (retired Childbirth Educator and Yale Labor and Birth nurse) Description: What is the 4th trimester? This concept refers to the first few months after you deliver, a period of intense development and adjustment to life outside the womb for your newborn. He or she was kept snuggled in a warm, dark environment where hunger and wet diapers were not a problem. Now there are lots of new senses to get used to! At the same time, you are recovering from giving birth and adapting physically, emotionally, and mentally to parenthood and all its challenges. This huge change for both of you can be rough and overwhelming at times, even more so than the pregnancy itself. One of the best things for getting through this time with your sanity intact is finding support and encouragement from others, especially if they are going through the same thing as you. This group will give you the opportunity to tell your birth story, discuss challenges, successes, share stories, and to meet other new moms in the area. See more details •	22 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group November 22, 2023 11:00 am - 1:00 pm 3074 Whitney Ave 1st Floor, Suit 211 Hamden, CT 06410 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Format: In-person Price: FREE Day & Time: Wednesday, 11:00am to 1:00pm Note: hosted by New Life Doulas Open to the public, community and support for new families. See more details •	23	24 NO GROUP TODAYPostpartum Support Group for Doula Clients NO GROUP TODAYPostpartum Support Group for Doula Clients November 24, 2023 11:00 am - 1:00 pm 3074 Whitney Ave 1st Floor, Suit 211 Hamden, CT 06410 Postpartum Support Group This is a closed group for clients of EB Doulas or Begin with Ashley only. Format: In-person Day & Time: Fridays, 11:00am to 1:00pm What to expect: Connect with other new parents in this group facilitated by Ashley & Dawn. You must be a doula client to join this group. See more details NO GROUP TODAYPostpartum Support Group for Doula Clients NO GROUP TODAYPostpartum Support Group for Doula Clients November 24, 2023 11:00 am - 1:00 pm 3074 Whitney Ave 1st Floor, Suit 211 Hamden, CT 06410 Postpartum Support Group This is a closed group for clients of EB Doulas or Begin with Ashley only. Format: In-person Day & Time: Fridays, 11:00am to 1:00pm What to expect: Connect with other new parents in this group facilitated by Ashley & Dawn. You must be a doula client to join this group. See more details • •	25	26 Prenatal Movement Class Prenatal Movement Class November 26, 2023 10:00 am - 11:00 am Empowered Beginnings CT: Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Wellness Consultants, 3074 Whitney Ave Building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA REGISTER HERE Prenatal Movement Series This one hour prenatal movement class includes dancing, strengthening and stretching movement in a safe and effective design for pregnancy. Join other parents to increase community, strength and confidence in preparation for birth. When 9 week series: Sundays, October 15 - December 17 @ 10 AM *no class on November 5th Cost $150 for the nine-week series $20 for individual drop in sessions Instructor Michelle Chirby, MAS, IBCLC, CPD REGISTER HERE Contact machirby@gmail.com or (510) 519-4809 with any questions About Michelle Chirby Michelle Chirby is a certified dance fitness, barre, and Dancing for Birth™ instructor. She has led choreography for a modern dance company and has instructed dancers of all ages at camps, dance studios and fitness centers. Her love for dancing and learning new styles has followed her around the world – to perform with a Contemporary K-Pop team in Australia, embrace West African dance while in the Peace Corps, ShimmyPop™ with the Hipline community in California, and pursue her Modern Barre™ and Dancing for Birth™ certifications in New England. She believes in the power of movement for mental, emotional, and spiritual health and loves to help people tap into this body-soul connection on the dance floor. Michelle’s deep respect for the body and its amazing capabilities is furthered through her work as a Maternal and Child Nutritionist, with a focus on clinical lactation, and as a certified birth doula. Learn more about her services here. See more details •
27 Q&A with Ashley Q&A with Ashley November 27, 2023 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Q&A with Ashley & Dawn Registration not required. This is a closed group for Ashley & Dawn's doula clients only. Format: Online Price: Free Day & Time: Mondays, 7:00pm to 8:00pm Note: You must be a client of Begin With Ashley to participate in this group. The zoom link will be posted in our private Facebook group. Please join with questions or just to chat with other new families. There is no agenda for this it’s just an opportunity to connect and come together for support during your pregnancy. See more details •	28 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group (online) (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group (online) November 28, 2023 11:00 am - 12:30 pm https://zoom.us/j/124179840 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group No Registration Needed. This group is open to anyone. Format: Online; Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/124179840 Price: FREE Day & Time: Tuesdays, 11:00am to 12:30pm Hosted by: Louise Ward, RN (retired Childbirth Educator and Yale Labor and Birth nurse) Description: What is the 4th trimester? This concept refers to the first few months after you deliver, a period of intense development and adjustment to life outside the womb for your newborn. He or she was kept snuggled in a warm, dark environment where hunger and wet diapers were not a problem. Now there are lots of new senses to get used to! At the same time, you are recovering from giving birth and adapting physically, emotionally, and mentally to parenthood and all its challenges. This huge change for both of you can be rough and overwhelming at times, even more so than the pregnancy itself. One of the best things for getting through this time with your sanity intact is finding support and encouragement from others, especially if they are going through the same thing as you. This group will give you the opportunity to tell your birth story, discuss challenges, successes, share stories, and to meet other new moms in the area. See more details •	29 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group November 29, 2023 11:00 am - 1:00 pm 3074 Whitney Ave 1st Floor, Suit 211 Hamden, CT 06410 (FREE) 4th Trimester Support Group CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Format: In-person Price: FREE Day & Time: Wednesday, 11:00am to 1:00pm Note: hosted by New Life Doulas Open to the public, community and support for new families. See more details Childbirth, Four-Week Course (Week 1) Childbirth, Four-Week Course (Week 1) November 29, 2023 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm Empowered Beginnings CT: Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Wellness Consultants, 3074 Whitney Ave Building 2, Hamden, CT 06518, USA Childbirth, 4-Week Course CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Format: In-person Price: $250 per couple Day & Time: Wednesdays at 6:30pm to 9:00pm Note: We suggest you sign up for a course that will start sometime after your 26th week and ends before your 37th week of pregnancy. This in-person series is great for first-time parents and comes highly recommended by many local midwives and obstetricians for its empowering approach to childbirth. Our goal is to help each family become wise healthcare consumers and to partner with their OB providers for a safe birth using as few interventions as possible. Although the class strives to educate patients and their partners toward natural childbirth (i.e., unmedicated, intervention-free), classes are for prepared childbirth in the hospital, birth center, or home setting. The classes use a multidisciplinary approach, pulling information from resources such as Dr. Robert Bradley (of the Bradley method), the Lamaze Institute for Normal Birth, educator/doula Penny Simkin, and midwife Ina May Gaskin. Topics Reviewed Physiology and changes in pregnancy Normal progression of labor and birth Relaxation and breathing techniques Coping methods for labor and birth such as hydrotherapy, music, mental focus, and comforting positions Analgesia and anesthesia options such as nitrous oxide and epidurals Benefits and risks of medical interventions The partner's role during labor and birth Postpartum care Newborn care at the hospital See more details • •	30